


Once Upon An X-File

by DKSculder



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), The X-Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, F/M, MSR, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-08-31 07:13:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8569135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DKSculder/pseuds/DKSculder
Summary: Mulder and Scully stumble upon a hidden town called Storybrooke. The townspeople take a certain interest into the strangers, now discovering they are trapped along with them in the new curse. Can everyone work together to break the spell this time?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the anon who asked if I watched both shows, and wanted some kind of crossover. Details and time period are a little vague, but this was totally only going to be a drabble. For those who watch both, enjoy!

“Mulder, I think we’re lost.” Scully said, completely exasperated as she attempted to read the map she held in her hands. 

“I went left, the map said left.” He answered defensively. Agreeing on directions was never their forte. 

“Yes, but it’s still to be determined if you were holding it upside down when you came to that conclusion.” 

“This looks like the right way.” 

“How can you possibly make that assumption? There’s been nothing but trees and a long windy road for miles. The last glimpse of civilization that we saw was too many miles back to count.” 

“Maybe this is a shortcut.” 

“An hour long, completely opposite direction of a shortcut?” She said judgingly, eyebrow arching. 

“Just, give me 5 more minutes down this road, and then I’ll turn around if nothing comes of it.” 

“Fine, but the first thing we do when we do find a town, is eating. You’re buying.” He chuckled, knowing a good portion of her moodiness was because she was hungry. 

He had found another case, bringing them to the forests of some small town in Maine. He knew it was another wild goose chase of psychic ability claims, but they had been under so much stress lately, he figured a light case, away from everything would be beneficial for both of them. Every day, there was a new threat to shut down the X-Files, causing him to attempt to stay as far out of their way on somewhat plausible cases as possible. He could sense Scully’s annoyance, but she always followed, with minimal complaints. Too honest and loyal for her own good. 

As he drove further along the seemingly endless road, he could tell he definitely took a wrong turn. He wasn’t ready to surrender his wrongdoing, so he continued just a few miles further. They passed over a strange orange line marked in the middle of the road, and a sign appeared that read ‘Welcome to Storybrooke.’ 

“Scully, this town wasn’t on the map?” He asked as she glanced up to see the sign. 

“No, it’s not here at all. The next town isn’t for miles.” Her voice had a sense of wonder shining through. Both glanced at each other, curiosity clouding their mind. 

“Let’s check it out, maybe they at least have some food we can scrounge up before figuring out how to get back to where we are supposed to be.” 

They drove further into the town, both perplexed by the rustic, small town vibe of this place they stumbled upon. Some people were dressed differently, causing Scully to furrow her brow in confusion. Mulder was instantly captivated, feeling a draw to the mystery of the invisible town. She could sense his excitement, already knowing they were going to be here for longer than a quick meal. 

Townspeople were staring, as if they’d never seen a government issued sedan before. Both agents could feel all eyes on them, spiking their curiosity about whatever they stumbled upon. Mulder spotted the sign for Granny’s diner, parking across the street to feed his grumpy partner. 

“I feel like we’re being watched, by everyone in town.” Scully said as she came to stand by his side. 

“Maybe they’re all criminals, worried the feds just rolled in.” She rolled her eyes, him glancing around to notice they were in fact the center of attention. 

The two walked into Granny’s diner, everyone else immediately stopping in their movements to stare at their entrance. They both felt the spotlight put on them, feeling uneasy by all the eyes watching them and the whispers between people. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this popular before.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear. She huffed out a small laugh before turning to look at him, her mouth lingering just before his. 

“Okay, Spooky. There’s an open booth over there.” She said as she walked towards the table. He glared after her, a small smirk touching his lips. 

“What can I get you folks?” An elderly lady appeared beside their table, anxious about the new strangers in town. 

“Just coffee for now, thanks.” Scully answered, looking over the menu. Mulder glanced around, eyes diverting as he met them. This place seemed peculiar, and he couldn’t place why. 

“Does this town seem...strange to you?” 

“You’re asking me if some small waterfront town seems strange? After everything else we’ve seen?” She asked, glancing at him above her menu. Her eyebrow rose, questioning him. 

“Ha ha, Scully. I don’t know, it seems -” 

“Hi, you guys are new here. What brings you to town?” A blonde haired woman and a young boy appeared at their table. She was wearing a red leather jacket, a sheriff’s badge hanging off her waistband. 

“We were just passing through, but I think one of us has a bad sense of direction.” Mulder answered friendly, ignoring the glares he could feel being shot at him from Scully. 

“Well, I’m Emma Swan, I’m one of the sheriff’s here. This is my son, Henry. Excuse the interruption, we just don’t get many visitors here.” 

“We could tell, based on the overly welcoming stares from everyone.” He said sarcastically. 

“Sorry about them, I think the last stranger in this town, was...well me.” 

“No worries, we’ll be out of your hair soon enough. We just thought we’d stop for a bite to eat before getting on the right path again.” Scully answered with a tight-lipped smile. 

“Let me know if you need anything while you guys are in town, I’m usually around.” Emma said with a parting nod. Henry smiled at them, being escorted away by her. 

“I definitely think something’s going on here.” Mulder leaned in, saying in a low voice. She rolled her eyes at him, deciding what she wanted for lunch.

* * *

“Do you think they’re dangerous?” Regina asked anxiously, absorbing the information that Emma was reporting back. They had all gathered at her office, trying to figure out who these new people in town were.

“I don’t know, they looked like law enforcement of some sort. I’ve ran from enough to know.” Emma said with an apologetic smile. 

“But we don’t know what this new curse is, none of us have any memory of it. Without knowing who we’re fighting, everyone can be suspect.” Mary Margaret chimed in. 

“Plus, we don’t even know what will happen when they try to leave, if they even can.” David added, exasperated with their newest predicament already. 

“Well they said that they were just stopping for food, and got off course. I guess we’ll find out if they’re allowed to leave after that. If not, we can make a plan then.” Emma said. 

“Fine, we’ll hide out near the town line as soon as they’re done at Granny’s, and wait to see if they simply just leave town.” Regina said with a final nod, implying that their conversation was over. 

They all split up, David and Emma waiting in the sheriff’s car, in case the town line bounced them back, or caused them to crash. With each curse being different, they didn’t know what to expect. Regina had transported herself to wait in the woods, everyone anxious to see what happens when someone leaves. They knew it was generally different for those not from their land, trapped in the curse, but wanted to be sure. 

Regina had gotten word that their car was heading towards her, everyone waiting for an answer. As the car approached, she could see the confusion on the man’s face, almost as if the car was moving on its own. He tried to control it, but they spun, the back end of the car hitting the town line like it was a wall. They had their answer, but it wasn’t the one they were hoping for. 

Regina teleported herself back to the others, signaling with a nod for them to drive to the town line to ‘rescue’ the newcomers. 

“Hey, you guys okay?” David asked as he stepped out of the car. Mulder and Scully had already exited, looking around to see what caused their accident. 

“Yeah, we’re fine.” Scully answered shortly, her neck already sore. 

“That was - the car just lost control. It was like something was happening to it that I couldn’t control.” Mulder said, mind already whirling with several different theories. 

“Let’s get you guys back to Granny’s, unless you think you should visit the hospital first.” Emma chimed in. 

“No, we’re okay, thank you though.” Scully rubbed the back of her neck, rotating it to release the stiffness already taking over. “Do you have a mechanic here? I think we’re going to need to get this fixed up before we can head back out of here.” 

“Yeah, you guys can ride back with us, we’ll send for a tow truck. Granny’s is also a bed and breakfast, so we can get you guys settled for the night.” David said, charming them with his friendly smile. 

“So where you both from?” Emma asked, trying to break the awkward silence of the car ride back into town. 

“We’re from DC, we were here investigating a case. We’re both FBI agents.” Scully answered flat toned. Mulder was still lost in his own thoughts, making up ideas in his head about what was going on in this town. 

“Wow, that’s definitely quite a career. What brought you out to Maine?” Scully pursed her lips, looking over at Mulder to answer, asking herself that same question. 

“We...were investigating the possible psychic abilities of a woman in a small town several miles from here. She’s been said to predict a few attacks in her community recently.” He answered carefully, not wanting to get ridiculed for their work. 

“Interesting investigation for the FBI, isn’t it?” David asked. 

“We work in a special unit, called the X-Files. We mostly look into case dealing with unexplained phenomena.” Scully answered carefully, before Mulder could go on a rant. 

“Huh, that’s, ambitious.” Emma said, thinking they had stumbled into the right place for that. 

When they arrived back to Granny’s, everyone else was waiting for them. They asked for two rooms, only finding that one room was available with two beds. Scully was already annoyed with the entire excursion, Mulder knowing this wasn’t exactly helping the situation. She took the key, grabbing her bags to make her way up to their room. He smiled sheepishly at everyone, following his partner. 

“So, what happens now?” Regina asked, irritated by the newest revelations. 

“They can’t exactly leave, so we’re going to have to watch the magic and hope they don’t talk to a lot of people in town.” Mary Margaret said. 

“I don’t want to create a mass panic of everyone, but I think we should call a town meeting and explain the situation.” Emma added. Regina met her gaze, knowing she was right. If these FBI agents caught even the slightest wind of what was really going on here, who knows what that would mean for the people of Storybrooke. She nodded in agreement, all of them starting to spread the word of mouth, not wanting to make a formal announcement and catch their attention. 

“Scully, I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened to the car, it just started going crazy on its own. Maybe, this is a hotspot. But there’s not been any abductions reported in this area.” Mulder was saying as he paced the room. She was plopped on her bed, trying to forget this trip already. She poked her head up just enough to see him, furrowing her brow. 

“Mulder, the car simply lost control. Stop automatically going to alien abductions.” 

“But there was something more that happened. It felt like we hit a wall, right when we hit the town line. You saw the back of the car, there was nothing around us.” 

“Maybe we hit something when it spun. I don’t know, but I’m not going to waste my time dwelling on it. Let’s just get the car fixed, and get out of here as soon as possible.” She said exasperated, throwing her head back on the pillow. 

“There’s something more going on here, I’m going to go for a walk, explore a little.” He glanced back over at her to see her sluggishly waving a hand, signaling that she wasn’t joining him. 

He began to wander around, stopping to visually memorize all the little shops on the main road. The pawn shop caught his attention, all the trinkets sitting in the window. He entered, instantly intrigued by the antiques. 

“Hello, may I help you?” Gold stepped out from the back, greeting him. 

“Oh, uh, sorry. I was just looking around.” Mulder said, taking in his surroundings. 

“Are you new in town?” 

“For the night. My partner and I got a little lost, ended up here for a late lunch. We had a small accident on our way out, and are stuck here until the car is fixed.” 

“Well, I hope that you’ll find your stay here quite welcoming.” He said with a smile that caused Mulder’s stomach to twist slightly. Something was off about the man standing before him, something that unnerved him. He smiled, turning to make his exit from the shop. He explored the rest of town, seeing people start to gather at what he assumed was their Town Hall. He snuck over to the building, peering inside through the window. 

“Alright, I don’t want anyone to panic. We have, a small situation on our hands at the moment. It seems that we’ve had some people who stumbled on our town, accidentally. With the new curse, it appears that they can’t leave.” Regina explained carefully, causing an uproar of indistinct chattering amongst the townspeople. 

“So what, we’re supposed to just go around pretending like we aren’t who we actually are? It’s like the first curse you put us through all over again. Only this time, we know who to blame.” Leroy piped up, glaring at Regina. She stepped forward, hand ready for battle. 

“Watch it, dwarf.” She growled, the fireball beginning to form in her hand. 

“Regina! That’s exactly what we are trying to prevent.” Emma said wide-eyed at the magic happening. Regina rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and standing off to the side. 

“We aren’t asking you to pretend that you’re not yourselves, but...outside people don’t exactly understand. We just want the magic, and talk about the Enchanted Forest minimized, so that we aren’t raising any suspicions.” David chimed in, calming the crowd. 

“I mean, look how long it took me to even believe in this stuff, we can’t expect them to just understand.” Emma said in a small voice. 

The conversations continued, Mulder amazed by what he was hearing. He was confused, only catching bits and pieces, but overhearing enough to know that something was definitely going on here. He made a brisk escape, hurrying back to meet Scully.

* * *

After a long evening of ‘but Scully’s,’ she didn’t want to hear anything about whatever theories he had cooking up in his brain. She felt like this entire trip was a waste of time, and turning into even more of a nightmare than it originally was. They were told that their car still wouldn’t be ready until the next day, hopefully, so they were stuck here for another night. He had dropped the subject of what he overheard, for now, letting her ride out whatever mood she was currently in.

“I can show you around town today, if you want.” Mulder asked carefully as they were situated at Granny’s for yet another meal. 

“Sure, Mulder. It’s not like I have anything better to do.” She said with a heavy sigh. 

“Actually, I was just coming over to offer my services, and show you around town. Give you the grand tour. I’m Mayor Regina Mills, I’m so sorry it’s taken so long for me to welcome you to Storybrooke.” She said with a nervous smile. Scully and Mulder glanced between each other, the same idea about this quaint town running through their minds. 

“Oh, uh, that’s not necessary, but thank you for the offer.” Scully answered with a small smile in return. 

“Well, then you should, uh, come for our town festival for tonight. I’m sure you’ve noticed some people dressed a little different. We are having...a fair tonight on the main road.” She said quickly. The town had agreed that the two strangers should be watched, included in as many things as possible. They didn’t exactly have the best luck in this town with quiet, unexpected visitors. 

“Yeah, uh, okay.” Mulder said, theories still whirling around in his mind. 

“Perfect, we’ll see you then.” Regina said as she made her exit from the diner to meet the others.

“I didn’t think small towns were so…” 

“Inviting?” 

“I was going to say, cliche. I feel like we’ve walked into some bad movie.” She scoffed, finishing her breakfast. 

“Come on, let’s go explore.” He said with excitement in his voice and that boyish gleam in his eye. As irritated as she was with everything, she couldn’t help but smile at his childlike amusement with this strange place. 

“So, now we’re just supposed to throw some town festival last minute?” Emma asked in disbelief. 

“I panicked, we were supposed to keep them in our watch, and I didn’t know another way besides locking them up in a cell. Which could work…” Regina said as her voice drifted off.

“No, we are not going to lock them up just because we can’t keep tabs on them every second of the day.” Emma responded. 

“So, how do we get the town ready for a festival?” Mary Margaret asked, curious about how they were going to attempt this one. 

“Well, they were going to explore around, maybe we can lure them towards the waterfront, and I can just use magic to set everything up.” 

“I thought we all agreed, no magic.” 

“Do any of you have a better idea?” Regina asked, narrowing her eyes. “I didn’t think so.” 

“How are we supposed to keep them busy?” 

“I think I have a plan.” Henry chimed in, an excited smile on his face.

* * *

“I’m sorry I dragged you out here, it’s my fault that we’re stuck sharing a room in a small, unmapped town.” Mulder said as they strolled along the waterfront. She let out a heavy sigh.

“No, it’s okay. We were coming in this general direction on a case, we were just doing our job.” 

“It’s kind of nice, like a mini vacation.” 

“I guess I hadn’t thought of it like that. I suppose you’re right, a nice welcoming break.” She said with a small smile. 

They had wandered over to the docks, Scully smiling as she saw the boats, reminding her of her father. Mulder could instantly tell the thoughts flowing through her mind, pulling her in for a sideways hug. 

“Are you enjoying the town so far?” Henry came up from behind them, startling them both. 

“It’s a cute little place you all have here.” Scully said with a genuine smile. 

“Yeah, my mom sent me, since you refused her tour.” He said as he came bouncing towards them. 

“Wait, I thought your mom was the sheriff?” Mulder asked, confused. 

“She is, too. It’s a long story. Emma is my birth mom.” Henry said with a shrug, not really wanting to try to explain his family tree. 

For the rest of the afternoon, he showed them around the docks, keeping them busy. He knew they wouldn’t refuse a little kid, so it was just his task to keep them out of the main town area. Scully was finally becoming exhausted, needing to go back to the room to rest if they were expected to be at the town festival. Mulder offered to go back with her, but she told him to stay and enjoy his time exploring the town more with Henry. She walked back to Granny’s, going wide-eyed by the sight before her. The entire town was transformed, as if they had been decorating for weeks. She cautiously made her way back to their room, thinking she was just exhausted and making it a bigger deal than it was. 

“So do you like living here?” Mulder asked, sitting next to Henry. 

“I’ve never lived anywhere else, so I guess so.” He said with a shrug. 

Mulder chuckled. “Fair enough. I grew up in a pretty tightknit community myself, I know the feeling.” 

“You’re an FBI agent, right? Do you like your job?” Henry asked, more so to stall time. 

“I do. I work with my partner, Scully, and we investigate the cases that others might deem, too imaginative. We handle unexplained occurrences.” 

“Do - do you believe in that stuff?” Henry asked, excitement in his voice. Perhaps these strangers would understand more than the adults thought. 

“Probably more than my partner does. I’ve let my mind wander to a few out there theories from time to time.” 

“You, uh, should take a look at this then. I think you’d like it.” Henry said as he pulled his storybook out of his bag and handed it to Mulder. He furrowed his brow, reading the cover. 

“A book of fairytales?” He asked questionably. 

“Sort of. Just, look through it. I should go and help my mom finish setting things up for tonight, I’ll see you later.” Henry said as he made a brisk exit, running off to meet the others and tell them about his newest plan. 

Mulder laughed to himself, rolling his eyes at the book of fairy tale stories in his hands. Curiosity winning the best of him, he began to flip through the pages, eyes widening as he glanced upon a few of the pictures. He spent the next hour or so, sifting through pages, amazed by what he was reading. He closed the book, running back to Granny’s to meet Scully and tell her about the latest developments. 

“You gave them your storybook?” Regina asked, a slight sternness in her voice more than intended. 

“He’ll believe in it, I know he will. Then we don’t have to try to explain it to him, he’ll just understand.” Henry pleaded. 

“What if he doesn’t, what if he reports us all insane, and locks everyone in this town up.” Emma chimed in. 

“It worked for you. Just give him time, he’ll believe, too.” 

“Let’s say he does decide to believe, what do you suppose we do then? Without knowing how to break this curse, they’re still stuck here.” Regina said with an exasperated sigh. 

“True love’s kiss. It’s broken the curses before.” Gold said as he stepped into Regina’s office. She crossed her arms at his presence, mostly believing that he had something to do with their current predicament. 

“We’ve all tried that, but nothing has broken it. There’s gotta be something we are missing.” Regina said, her mind trying to figure out the twist to this new curse. 

“Well, deary. It seems that it’s not going to be as simple as the prior curses we’ve faced. Perhaps this time, it’s not just true love’s kiss, but new love’s kiss.” He said mysteriously. Emma stood up, sensing the knowing look behind his eyes. 

“What do you know?” She asked accusingly. 

“I’ve done some research. It appears that we are trapped here, because everyone already in this town is well acquainted with each other. Without a new love blossoming, no one can escape, and our memories are forever lost.” Gold explained carefully. 

“So, it not only has to be true love, but it has to be a new, true love. That way, we can’t trick the curse.” Regina scoffed. 

“Right, true love isn’t something that can just be created. Even with a love potion, it would be fake feelings. So what, we’re just stuck here, like this, forever?” Emma asked, clearly distraught by the newest information. 

“It appears so, until we can find another solution. I’ll let you know if I come upon anything, as I hope you’ll do the same.” Gold said smugly, already knowing how to break the curse, but not wanting the rest of the town to discover his darker past actions in the time they forgot. He nodded his farewell, leaving them to their own thoughts. 

Mulder came running up to their room, knocking incessantly after realizing that he left his key with Scully. She came to the door, opening it with force, clearly annoyed by the sound. She huffed out a small sigh, moving away so he could enter. 

“Scully, you gotta see this.” He said excitedly. She sat on the end of the bed, crossing her legs as a small wince appeared on her face. 

“Mulder, that phrase from you only gets me into more trouble that I can never fully talk my way out of.” 

“Fair enough, but it’s different this time. Look!” He said as he plopped himself on the bed beside her, handing her the storybook. 

“Fairy tales?” She asked with a judging tone to her voice. 

“Technically, yes. But these are different. Look at the pictures.” He said as he flipped open one of the pages. She examined it, glancing at him expectantly, waiting for his explanation. 

“What am I looking for?” 

“Don’t they remind you of the people we met here in this town? Look, this is Mary Margaret, and David. But in the book, it’s Snow White and Prince Charming.” 

“So, they had the book illustrated to add them in as the characters?” 

“That’s...possible, but I really think that they are these people.” 

“And what, Snow White and the Evil Queen are just living happily together now?” She asked as she stumbled upon a picture of Regina. 

“I don’t know, but I knew there was something different about this place. At the meeting, they mentioned something about magic.” 

“The meeting you were eavesdropping on?” Eyebrow arching, him sighing, already knowing this argument was a lost cause. 

“Yes, but that’s not the point. Let’s just, investigate at the festival tonight.” 

“You want us to, what, interrogate the townspeople while they’re celebrating?” 

“In a sense. I just want to talk to different people, see if anyone slips up about what is really going on here.” 

“Fine, but if nothing comes of it, we drop it.” 

“Deal. I’m going to explore a little more, I’ll meet you down there later.” He said as he grabbed his jacket and was gone again. 

As annoyed as she was, Scully was intrigued by the slight twist of stories being told in this new book. She opened it, and started from the beginning, instantly captivated by the characters.

* * *

“Do you think they suspect anything? They’ve had the storybook for several hours.” Mary Margaret said nervously. They were all gathered at her house before the evening unfolded.

“I don’t know, I mean, look how long it took me, and I was here living it.” Emma chimed in. Everyone’s nerves were on high, both parties anxious about the other. 

“Henry has a pretty good sense of knowing these things. If he’s right, the man might be looking into it more than the woman.” Regina added, already trying to figure out a way to save this town. 

“With them, and the newest way to break the curse, I don’t know how much more the people here can take. What if those agents are stuck here with us until we can figure this out, if we ever do.” Emma said with an exasperated sigh. 

“We can’t lose faith. We’ve broken every other curse before, this one is no different. We’ll find a way, we always do.” Mary Margaret said with confidence, being the beacon of hope. David nodded in agreement, resting his hands on her shoulders in comfort. 

They all devised several plans on how to approach the issue, should it ever arise, if the strangers did begin to question their town based on the storybook. They didn’t want to overwhelm them with the truth, but hoped they would discover it on their own, relieving the current tension surrounding everyone. They were also still hesitant about the reaction, and what outsiders knowing what’s really going on here would mean for them. 

The time for the festival approached, everyone wearing fake smiles as their biggest accessory. Mulder had disappeared for a while, and Scully was already annoyed that she was wandering around the main road by herself. Lost in her own thoughts, she began to stroll along the vendors’ tables, taking in the feel of the town. She felt someone come to stand beside her, a small smile on her face, suspecting who it was. She jumped slightly at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. 

“Enjoying the festival so far?” Gold asked, his accent shining through his words. 

“I am, thank you.” Scully answered with a shy smile. There was something unnerving about the man, but she couldn’t place the feeling, just a gut instinct. 

“Have you had a chance to stop at my table? I own the pawn shop here, many antique items I’m sure you’d find fascinating.” 

“I haven’t made it there yet, but I will as soon as I find my partner. Excuse me.” She said, making a brisk escape. 

Gold watched her disappear into the crowd, needing to keep a close eye on her and the man he met yesterday. With everyone else in the town, they were the only outliers in the curse maintaining its current status. They were the only hope for a new true love. 

Regina was in her office, finalizing some of their current plans of action, if it came to that. She had spent a majority of the afternoon in her vault, finding several different potions that they could use, if necessary. She shoved everything into her desk as she heard footsteps approaching, being extra vigilant. 

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt, I was just looking around.” Mulder said sheepishly, more so because he was trying to find answers, not expecting to get caught. 

“No problem, I’m just wrapping up some things before I head over to the festival. My offer still stands, if you would like an official tour.” Regina said with a smile, playing up the part of Mayor. 

“I might take you up on that, if we still aren’t able to get out of here by tomorrow. So, how long have you been mayor here?” He asked as he slowly walked into her office. He could sense that she was hiding something, wanting to know more. 

“Several years, actually. We have a good system going on here.” 

“Interesting. Did you know your town isn’t even on a recent road map?” 

“We have been working on that for a while. If you’ll excuse me, I need to make a quick call before heading to the festival.” She said with a nervous smile. He nodded, getting the hint and turned to leave the office. He closed the door behind him, but before shutting it all the way, he turned to ask something else. She was gone, just vanished. His eyes went wide, confirming any suspicions he had. He ran out of the building to find Scully and inform her of his newest discovery. 

“Mulder, where the hell have you been?” Scully hissed as he finally joined her side. She had been engaging in uncomfortable conversations throughout the evening. It almost seemed as if these people didn’t know how to exist outside of this town. 

“I was investigating, and talking to the mayor.” He said excitedly. She instantly knew there was more to his story waiting to burst out of him. 

“How did she beat you back here then?” Scully asked as she gestured with a nod towards Regina standing in front of Granny’s diner. His eyes widened, that goofy grin that she loved spreading on his face. 

“Let’s go for a walk.” 

“What aren’t you saying?” She asked accusingly as they walked towards the water. 

“I think there’s real magic happening here. I’m not talking circus magic, I mean real witchcraft kind of magic.” 

“Fairytale magic?” She asked with a suppressed smirk. 

“Make fun all you want, but it’s the truth. I was talking to the mayor in her office, and then I turned to ask her a final question, and she was just gone. Like she teleported herself here.” 

“With magic.” 

“Yes. Do you have another explanation?” 

“Maybe there was a back door that she used. She obviously knows this town better than anyone, perhaps she took a shortcut to get here.” She said with an exhausted sigh. 

“It’s a pretty straight shot from town hall to here.” He said with a slight more annoyance in his voice than he intended. 

“Then I don’t know what to tell you, but I’m not going to believe that these people are all fairytale characters, trapped in our world.” 

“You read the storybook.” He said with an amused smile, the gleam coming back to his eye. She huffed out a small breath, rolling her eyes at him in resignation. 

“Yes, I’ll admit, I was interested. But that doesn’t mean that I believe it.” 

“Why are you so quick to dismiss the idea that there’s something strange going on here?” 

“Why are you jumping to conclusions that anything out of the ordinary has some outlandish explanation?” She turned towards him, stopping in her stride. She crossed her arms, pursing her lips. Neither realized how close the other was until their faces were lingering before each other. 

“What’s really going on?” He asked as he stepped closer slightly, knowing there was a conversation they’ve both been avoiding. 

“They’re trying to do everything possible to shut us down, and you keep sending us on these wild goose chases, on nonsense cases. It’s almost like you’re giving them the final reason. How do you think it’s going to look if we go back and turn in a report about fairytale creatures and magic?” She ranted all in one breath, bowing her head with an exhausted sigh. 

“Us being shut down and separated is the last thing I want, you have to believe that.” He reached forward to cradle her elbow in his hand gently. 

“I know, and I do. I guess I’m just stressed about the possibility of it.” She rested her forehead on his chest, causing him to wrap his arms around her and pull her in for a hug. 

She leaned into his embrace, her head glancing up to look at him, her warm breath tickling his neck. He gulped at the sensation, leaning down to meet her gaze. Their mouths were lingering just before each other, both glancing at the other’s lips in anticipation. Hers parted slightly, giving him the final motivation he needed to lean down and place a chaste kiss, closing the remaining gap between them. It was sweet, simple, everything they had both dreamt it to be. There was a spark, a flash of light that radiated between them, causing them to step back abruptly. 

“What the hell was that?” She asked in bewilderment, bringing her fingers to her lips, asking more about the flash than the kiss. She knew what the kiss was for them. 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-” He began to stammer, still lost in the complete ecstasy of their moment. 

“No, I meant the spark, like a flash of light. You didn’t feel that?” 

“I definitely felt something, Scully.” He leered at her. She rolled her eyes at him, attempting to mask the coy grin spreading on her face. 

“Come on, let’s see if anyone else saw it.” She said as she began to walk back towards town. He smiled after her, knowing she was avoiding talking about what just happened between them, but was just as into the idea as he was. This was a new start for them.

* * *

“What the hell just happened?” Emma asked as everyone stopped in their movements. They knew a broken curse when they saw one.

“The curse, it’s over. I - I remember, everything.” Mary Margaret chimed in. Many other townspeople were engaging in indistinct chatter, getting their memories back from their forgotten time. 

“Well that fixes one problem, but now the question is, who broke the curse?” Regina asked, everyone else glancing around at the same familiar faces. Emma’s eyes widened when she saw the agents walking back towards them, shy smiles on their faces. 

“I think I know.” Emma said with a small smile. 

The agents approached their group, both glancing around at the knowing smiles on everyone’s face. Scully’s cheeks instantly tinged with color, as if they knew what happened between Mulder and her just a few minutes prior. 

“Did anyone, uh, see an unusual flash of light?” Scully asked, suddenly nervous. 

“No, not here.” Emma answered, everyone shaking their heads, denying the truth. 

“I spoke to the mechanic, he said your car will be perfect by tomorrow. Sorry it’s held you up here so long.” Regina chimed in, remembering their own battles that they needed to handle, not wanting to worry about the strangers in their town. 

“Perfect, thank you. I think we’re going to call it a night.” Mulder answered, gesturing Scully towards their room with his hand placed on her lower back. 

“Why don’t you stop by Granny’s tomorrow for breakfast, our treat.” Regina said quickly, already devising a new plan in her mind. Scully nodded in agreement before the agents disappeared to their room. 

“Alright, what’s your new plan?” Emma asked accusingly. 

“It’s best if they don’t remember anything from their time here. I can slip the potion into their coffee, and as soon as they cross the town line, they won’t remember anything about us.” 

“Which means they’ll forget about true love’s kiss.” Mary Margaret said worriedly. 

“Hopefully they can discover it on their own time, but that’s the best thing for us. We have new demons to face.” Regina said, catching Emma’s gaze. She nodded in understanding, agreeing to this plan of action. A smile appeared on Henry’s face, already creating his own scheme in his mind. 

The next morning, they all met at the diner, Regina having fixed the car with magic overnight, parking it in front of Granny’s. Mulder and Scully felt extremely out of place, the curious glances still bestowed on everyone’s face. 

“Thanks for letting me borrow your book, I enjoyed it.” Mulder smiled as he handed the storybook back to Henry. 

“Good, I’m glad.” Henry smiled back, slipping a small piece of paper in Mulder’s jacket pocket that was hanging off the back of his chair. 

Everyone engaged in simple, casual conversation, not really delving into anything of a heavy topic. Regina had already slipped the potion into their coffee, now just waiting for them to leave. As the agents approached the town line, Emma and David followed in the sheriff’s car, far enough away to make sure they wouldn’t be seen. It was more for the reassurance that the curse had officially been broken, and the strangers could leave willingly. 

Mulder drove over the bright orange line in the middle of the road, the spell taking effect as soon as they crossed over. Both of their minds were confused, him pulling over to the side of the road, forgetting everything behind them. 

“Well, at least that problem is taken care of.” Emma said as the car disappeared, along with the unsuspecting agents’ memories. 

“I really do hope that they figure it out though, about true love’s kiss.” David added, always having faith in the idea. Emma nodded silently, knowing they had to turn around and save their own town. 

“Mulder, I let you have your time, it’s time to head this way now.” Scully said, pointing straight ahead, matching what was on the map. 

“That’s the direction I’m going, right?” He asked, genuinely confused. He looked around, not seeing anything but trees and a long road. 

“I think there’s a gas station several miles up ahead. Let’s just get there, and then we can ask for directions.” She said, exhausted by this seemingly never ending argument. 

When they got to the gas station, Scully went inside to ask for directions, and to replenish snacks. Mulder filled up the car, leaning against it as he waited for her to return. He began clearing out receipts and random papers in his pocket, furrowing his brow as he opened one that looked unfamiliar. Curious, he opened it to see an old paper with the words ‘Once Upon A Time’ written on the front in old calligraphy handwriting. He turned it over, examining the contents, and saw a note written on the back. All it said was ‘Kiss the Girl,’ causing Mulder to huff out a small chuckle. He shrugged his shoulders, stuffing the paper back in his pocket as Scully approached his side again. 

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He said teasingly, at her wide-eyed, paled expression. She finally glanced up to meet his eyes, completely dumbfounded. 

“Mulder, we lost 2 days.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You wanted a sequel, so here you go! Yes, there is at least one more to come because I couldn't stop myself.

“How else would you explain the lost time then?” Mulder asked, completely riled up about their argument. They continued on the long windy road, only trees surrounding their view.

“Maybe we were off on our dates when we originally started. I don’t know, but I’m not going to automatically succeed to believing it was alien abduction.” She exhaled deeply, closing her eyes in exhaustion. This was an ongoing argument for the last week.

“How do you explain the dates on the plane tickets, and the reports, and-”

“Okay, I get your point. Let’s just - get to that area and see if anything is suspicious about it. Then we can make our assessments.”

“Fine, but I already know what happened.” His voice trailed off, not ready to concede in their argument.

The rest of the ride was rather quiet, neither wanting to get into it again. It had been a week since they discovered that they lost 2 days of time during their last excursion to Maine. Mulder fully believed that it had to do with an abduction, though neither of them showed signs of it. Which, in turn, was Scully’s biggest argument. They both were wary about what happened to them, nervous about the truth, but had absolutely no memory of the time spent in the area.

“I think this is it.” He said as he pulled over to the side of the road. He was counting on his photographic memory to not fail him in this moment. They started at the gas station, working their way back from there. He pulled over, and got out of the car, taking in his surroundings.

“This looks just like the rest of the road.”

“Yeah, but I’m almost positive that this is where we were pulled off to the side. But we were facing the opposite direction, so we were coming from...that direction?” He pointed ahead, at the empty road.

“There’s nothing on the map that way for miles, what the hell were we doing there?”

“Let’s go find out, maybe we found a sleeping bag in the woods or something to pass our time.” He teased, attempting to lighten the mood. She rolled her eyes at him, hiding the smirk touching her lips.

They continued to drive down the foggy road, coming to an orange line that instantly peaked his curiosity. He glanced over to look at her, and saw her eyebrow begin to arch, wondering what they exactly stumbled upon herself. He cautiously drove over the line, a town sign appearing through the fog. Scully furrowed her brow and squinted to make out the words on the rustic sign.

‘Welcome to Storybrooke.’

“This town isn’t on the map?” Mulder asked as he looked around. A sense of dejavu rushed through him, as if they’ve had this exact conversation before.

“No, it’s not…” Her voice drifted off, completely dazed by the small town that they had stumbled upon. He drove a little further, the buildings beginning to appear in front of them.

Everyone they passed stopped to stare at the newcomers, but it was almost as if they were surprised to see them, like they had met them before. They parked outside of a diner, it seeming to be the busiest place in town. As they entered, all eyes were on them, stopping them in their tracks. A blonde haired woman in a red leather jacket jumped up from the booth she was sitting in, approaching them with a quizzical look on her face.

Emma Swan was unsure how to approach the situation, knowing more than the confused strangers standing in Granny’s diner.

“Welcome to Storybrooke, I’m, uh, Emma Swan, the sheriff here.” She said cautiously.

“We were just passing through the area and stumbled into your town. Nice little place you’ve got here.” Mulder said with that charming smile Scully knew too well. She rolled her eyes at him, pursing her lips at his attempted flirting.

“Well, welcome. How long do you think you’ll be staying?” Emma asked, trying not to seem to persistent about her line of questioning. Mulder’s interest was immediately peaked, feeling like this town had more to offer than he initially thought.

“Not sure, is there a place to stay in town?” Scully chimed in, catching onto Mulder’s interest by the way his eyes slightly widened.

“Yeah, here, actually. Well, not in the diner, but Granny’s is also a bed and breakfast. Why don’t you guys have a seat, get something to eat and I can see if anything is available.” Emma said with a tight-lipped smile. She made her way over to the counter where everyone else had already gathered, away from the not-so-unfamiliar strangers.

“What are they doing back here?” Mary Margaret asked in a hushed whisper.

“I don’t know, they said that they were just passing through, kind of like before.”

“Do you think they suspect anything?” David spoke up, hoping to get whatever this new situation is under control before they made matters worse.

“Probably not, Regina erased their memories. But we never thought about replacing them with different memories, so they might be a little suspicious about why they lost two days time.” Emma said in one breath, everything beginning to piece itself together.

“Oh, not again.” Regina huffed out as she entered the diner. They all turned towards her as she glanced towards the strangers. “What the hell are they doing back?”

“We don’t know, they haven’t said that they suspect anything, but that doesn’t explain what brought them back here specifically.”

“They need a room for tonight, at least.” Emma said as she directed her words towards Granny. She nodded, retrieving a key from the back.

“We’ve only got one room with one bed in it. They can take it or leave it.” Granny said as she handed over the key and finished tending to the other customers.

“Maybe that’ll make them leave, they won’t want to share a room.” Regina said with excitement in her voice.

“Do you think they ever discovered the truth about true love’s kiss? Maybe this is the best for them.” Mary Margaret chimed in with hopefulness radiating from her, the gleam glistening in her eye.

“Let’s just offer it to them, and see what happens. We can go from there.” Emma grabbed the key and made her way over to the agents talking in a low voice to each other.

“Looks like we only have one room for the night...with one bed. Sorry we couldn’t better accommodate.” Emma said with an apologetic smile.

Mulder glanced cautiously towards Scully, knowing she wasn’t going to be happy with those arrangements. He could see her contemplating the offer, and was surprised when her eyebrow began to arch. He knew what her answer was going to be, he just couldn’t believe that she was agreeing. Perhaps this town really did have more to offer.

“That’ll be fine. Thank you.” She answered with a nod and a small smile. Emma retreated back to the others, dumbfounded that their initial plan had already failed.

“They’re going to take the room. Now what?”

* * *

“We don’t have to stay long, I know this isn’t exactly what you had in mind.” Mulder said with that apologetic smile she couldn’t help but to forgive.

“It’s fine, Mulder. We’re both adults, I think we can manage sharing a bed.” She said nonchalantly. If she only knew just what thoughts were running through his mind about her recently, even more so since their lost time. Every time she spoke, it’s almost like his eyes were transfixed by her lips, as if he’s felt them on his own before. That feeling, along with the mysterious note left in his pocket, led his imagination to run even more wild.

“Yeah, yeah...you’re right. We don’t have to stay long though. I just want to see if anyone here recognizes us. I got a sense that there’s more here, like people were talking about us.”

“It’s a small town, I’m sure any newcomer is going to create some kind of buzz.”

“It just felt, like more than that. I’m going to look around for a bit, do you want to join me?”

“No, I actually think I’m going to try to finish up some of these reports that you so graciously have held off on doing until I eventually did them.” She shot him a glare.

“Well, that’s definitely my cue to leave then. I’ll catch you later.” He grabbed his jacket and made a quick escape, her shaking her head, attempting to mask the smirk touching her lips.

If she would admit to herself, it was going to be an interesting trip for them. There’s been something since they first found themselves near here the first time, that keeps her mind wandering. It’s almost as if she feels a stronger connection to him, but can’t place where that feeling is coming from. Her thoughts were bouncing around sporadically, making it hard for her to focus in the silence that fell over the room after his departure. She gathered a few files and made her way back down to the diner, hoping to accomplish more there.

As she situated herself in one of the booths in the corner, she could sense someone walking towards her. So much for trying to stay hidden.

“So how are you liking Storybrooke so far?” Mary Margaret asked in her sweet, sincere voice.

“It’s a nice little town, have you been here long?” Scully asked, trying to make small talk, knowing she wasn’t going to just leave her alone.

“Just, uh, a few years. Where are you guys from?”

“We’re from Washington DC, we actually work for the FBI.”

“Oh, that’s exciting. How long have you been together?” Mary Margaret asked, that gleam in her eye making a reappearance. Her sole intention while these two were back in town was to get them to realize their fate, their destiny. She felt guilty, that they took that away from them.

“No, we’re….uh, he’s my partner. We’re not together, like that.”

“Oh, I just thought, since you took the room, with the one bed, that you two were a couple.”

“We’ve known each other for over 5 years, he’s my best friend, but we’re no...not like that.” Scully bowed her head, the color tingeing her pale cheeks. This line of conversation usually caused an uncomfort for her, even though she’s had to deal with is on several different instances.

“You two seem so close, you’ve never even...kissed?”

That word caused a weird sensation to rush through Scully, almost as if she could feel their lips gliding together. She’s had dreams of the moment, more vividly in the recent days. She kept passing it off as her emotions getting the better of her, suppressing them as she’s become so accustomed to doing. She licked her lips nervously, shaking the feelings surging through her.

“No, nothing like that.” Her voice barely even audible to herself.

“Such a shame, he’s very handsome. Well I’ll let you get back to your work. If you need anything, just let any of us know, we’d be happy to help.” Mary Margaret walked out of the diner, happy with her efforts to force them together, hoping for them to finally discover what they had here before.

Scully went back to her reports, already not able to focus after her conversation with Mary Margaret. She let out a heavy, resigned sigh and closed her files. It was no use, her mind was already wandering. She took her things back to the room, grabbing her coat to make her way to find Mulder.

She strolled through the main street of the small town, everyone stopping to stare at the newcomer as she passed by them. She felt like she was the center of attention, and wasn’t too fond of the feeling. She could see a figure standing by the waterfront, squinting to confirm that it was indeed Mulder. She smiled to herself, it slowly fading into a different emotion as she approached him. There was something familiar about the place in which he was standing, almost as if they had been here before. She started to rummage through her memories, but nothing was surfacing. Was he right? Had they actually been to this town before? She was startled to look up and see him staring back at her with the same quizzical look on his face.

“Scully, I know this is going to sound crazy and you won’t believe me, but I really feel like we’ve been here before.”

“No, I know what you mean. I’m beginning to think so, too. But how is it possible for both of us to not remember?”

“I - I don’t know, I haven’t gotten that far in my thought process yet.” He gave her an apologetic look, that goofy grin on his face. Something clicked in Scully’s head, almost as if she was having flashes of a scene she sure as hell would have remembered happening. She licked her lips nervously, almost as if she could taste him on her lips. His eyes diverted to her mouth, the same flash of memory coming back to him.

“We, uh, can look around more. See if anything triggers our memory? I was thinking about talking to the sheriff or someone tomorrow and see if they remember us.” He cleared his throat, breaking them both from the moment.

“Oh, yeah, that sounds like a good plan. Did you, uh, want to eat something at the diner? It’s getting kind of late.”

He nodded, leading her back towards Granny’s with his hand on her lower back, in his spot. Neither knew what they had walked into, but both were even more intrigued in finding out what really went on in this small town.

* * *

“Is it even possible for them to remember anything?” Emma asked. They had all gathered at Mary Margaret and David’s house, devising a new plan.

“Magic is tricky sometimes, we all know that. If they kissed again, it’s possible it could break the original spell.” Regina said with a heavy sigh.

“I don’t think they have. I mean, I asked her, and she said no. I don’t think she was lying.” Mary Margaret chimed in.

“Well they never saw any magic last time they were here, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t suspicious.”

“They said they look into cases that involved the paranormal, this might not even be out the realm of crazy for them.”

“That’s probably why they came back, the time loss would only make them more curious.” David added. They were all finding the problems, but no one had a solution. Henry was upstairs, listening in, already knowing he was going to have to do exactly what he did last time.

“I’m going to Granny’s for a hot chocolate.” Henry chimed in to all the adults talking at once. He had already snuck his storybook into his jacket, knowing a backpack would be too obvious.

“Alright, kid. We’ll be there shortly, save some for me.” Emma said with a slight smile. He nodded, making his brisk escape before any of them noticed the book.

He was hoping they wouldn’t be in their room, so he could sneak it in there while they were out. When he saw them eating at the diner, he smiled and snuck to the back, knowing exactly where Granny hid the master key for all the rooms. He grabbed it off the hook stealthily, sneaking upstairs and finding their room. He placed the storybook gently on the bed, smiling at the plan in his head. If the guy was still the same as a week ago, this would hopefully confirm that there was something to believe in in this town. He could hear people outside in the hall, and had to make a quick exit. When he heard the door shut on another room, he snuck out and back downstairs, leaving the key right where he found it. He perched himself on the stool at the counter, and ordered his hot chocolate.

The others joined him just a few short minutes later, a plan in their mind. They all exchanged glances with one another when they spotted the agents in the back booth, talking closely. Mary Margaret became excited at the sight, hoping they really did discover what everyone in this town already knew.

“So how do we do this?” Emma asked, waiting for instructions. Their plan wasn’t exactly anything brilliant, but they really didn’t have any other ideas than locking them up, or sending them right back out of town with the same solution as last time.

“Well, if we can slip the love potion into their coffee, then we shouldn’t have a problem. Hopefully them being in love with each other will distract them from anything going on in this town. Then, they’ll just leave.” Regina said with a shrug. She pulled the small bottle out of her pocket, and cradled it in her hands.

“How are we supposed to get it in their cups without it being obvious?”

“We can just put it in the bigger coffee container, and offer to refill theirs.” Emma chimed in as she stealthily grabbed a large container from behind the counter. They let a few drops fall into the dark liquid, ready to move their plan into action.

“Did you guys need a refill?” Emma asked cheerfully as she approached them. They each gave her a pleasant smile, nodding at her offer. “Just coming by to see how you are settling in?”

“Great, thanks.” Scully said, taking a sip of the fresh, hot coffee. Emma let out a sigh of relief, glad their second plan was already working.

“This may sound like a weird question, but have we been here before?” Mulder asked, watching her face for any sign of a lie. His profiling skills were definitely coming in handy.

“Uh, not that I know of. I would probably be the one to ask, I see everyone who comes in this town.” She gave them a tight-lipped smile, clearly uncomfortable with this line of questioning. “Well, I’ll let you enjoy your meal, let me know if you need anything else. Still don't know how long you are planning on staying?”

“We aren’t sure yet. I’m loving the town though, so it may be hard to get rid of us.” He said as he flashed her that charming smile. She retreated in defeat, back to the others.

“What’s going on in there, Mulder?” Scully asked with an amused smile. She knew he had an idea, some outlandish theory that was going to send them on their next venture.

“She’s lying, maybe not about seeing us, but about something. They want us out of this town, which gives us all the reason to stay just a little longer.” He said with a grin growing on his face. He saw her avert her eyes down, licking her lips nervously. “But, uh, that’s up to you, too.”

“No, it’s okay.” She said in a small voice. She didn’t know what was happening to her, but suddenly the thought of sharing a bed with Mulder for a few extra days was the most exciting thing in her life. The idea was exhilarating, arousing.

He was going on about his ideas for this town, her own thoughts completely lost. All she could hear was the indistinct sound of his voice, rambling on. She’s never felt like this before, especially about him. Well, not that she was ready to admit. She couldn’t handle it anymore, it was overwhelming.

“I, uh, I think I’m going to head upstairs and lay down. I’m not feeling that well.”

“Scully, are you okay? You do look a little flushed.” He reached out and touched her cheek gently. His touch made her jump out of her skin, in the best way possible. She nodded her head, making her way upstairs. Mulder threw a few bills on the table, following her, wanting to make sure she was okay.

“Maybe they’ll be gone by tomorrow.” Regina said as they all watched the scene take place.

“No...he didn’t drink the coffee. Only she did.” Emma said, observing them discreetly the entire time.

“Well what the hell are we supposed to do now?” Regina asked, clearly frustrated that every plan they had was failing.

“Maybe he won’t need it, and the spell will just give her the extra push to make a move. They loved each other before the potion, we all know that. Let’s just let it play out, and we’ll reevaluate tomorrow.” Mary Margaret said, hopeful for these two hopelessly in love agents to finally realize their feelings. Maybe an extra little push was exactly what they needed.

* * *

Scully had already managed to lock herself in the bathroom, he could hear the water running for the bath. The thought of Scully sitting in a bath, made his mind wander to many different unsavory thoughts about his partner. Not that he hasn’t had them before, being on the other side of the wall in some shack of a motel as he heard the water running for her shower. But somehow, a bath seemed more intimate. Especially considering she would be sleeping right next to him afterwards.

He plopped himself on the bed, something nudging at his back. He lifted his hips, pulling a book from underneath him. He looked at it quizzically, running his hand over the worn leather. Flipping over the first page caused a small gasp to escape his lips, the pages looking so familiar. He jumped off the bed, searching for his jacket. Reaching inside his pocket, he found the page that had appeared there about a week ago, and opened it. Bringing it back to the book, he compared the pages, and was lost in a world of amazement.

“Oh, Mulder...I, uh, didn’t think you’d be back so soon. Sorry, I just need to grab my clothes.” She said as she gripped her towel tighter, color rising to her cheeks. He startled slightly, not realizing she had come out of the bathroom. His eyes widened when he took in her appearance, flashing her a goofy grin.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” He said sincerely. The look in his eyes as he raked in her state of undress caused her breath to catch in her throat. She knew how she felt about him, but never thought he reciprocated the feelings.

“I’m fine, thank you.” She said in a small voice, grabbing her clothes off the bed and escaping back into the bathroom. He smiled to himself, knowing their journey here just got that much more interesting.

She finally came back out several minutes later, a coy smile on her lips. The thoughts she had about Mulder while she was in her bath were definitely going to make for an interesting night. She settled in the bed beside him, he was sitting on top of the covers, leaning against the back of the bed.

“Did you, uh...I can turn off the light if you want.”

“What are you reading?” Her brow furrowed as she situated herself on her side, facing him.

“Scully, I know this is going to sound ridiculous, maybe not more than any of my other theories, but I definitely think we’ve been here before.”

“You got all that from a book?”

“Look, I found this page folded in my pocket the day we first left here last week, and it matches the pages in the book.”

“Why didn’t you say anything about the page before?” She asked with a little more annoyance than she intended. She just wanted to find out what happened to them in their lost time. She sat up, leaning against the headboard next to him.

“I - I didn’t think it was anything. It’s just a blank page that has the title of the this book on it.”

“Let me see it.”

“No.”

“What, why?”

“It’s not important. The point is, it does match these pages, which means I had to have gotten it from here. We’ve definitely been here.”

“Okay, let’s just say we have, how did we lose our memories of our time here? I don’t think any of these people are alien abductees, or UFO chasing groups. Their town is a little old fashioned, but I wouldn’t say it’s abnormal in anyway.”

“I don’t think it has anything to do with aliens.”

“That’s a first.” Her eyebrows shot to her hairline, not able to comprehend the words she was hearing.

“I think…I think it has to do with magic. Some kind of witchcraft.”

“Ah, there it is. That’s what I was waiting for.” She let out a heavy sigh. “Mulder…”

“No, wait. Before you completely shoot down my idea, just hear me out.” He let out a heavy breath, knowing he only had one shot to make her somewhat believe this one. “Maybe, when we came here last, we saw something we weren’t supposed to. Erasing our memories would have been the only way to guarantee that their little town stayed hidden.” He paused, noticing the unamused look on her face. “Or, if we are sticking to the fairytale theory in this book, it would seem everyone here is some kind of character, trapped in our world. Maybe there was a curse, and it was broken while we were here.”

“And what exactly broke it? True love’s kiss?” She asked annoyed, rolling her eyes.

“Yes, actually.”

Her head snapped up to catch his gaze, eyes quickly diverting to his lips and back to his eyes. Those flashes of a memory, a dream, appearing in her mind. It felt so real, and she only wished it could be. She didn’t notice that he moved closer to her, their faces practically inches apart.

“I don’t think…” She said in a breathy whisper.

“Scully, is it so absurd to think that we’ve stumbled into some town where people believe in the idea of happily ever after? I think everyone should have that kind of hope. That kind of free will to be with who they want, no consequences to consider.”

“No...I think that sounds like a nice idea. I just don’t think it’s realistic.”

“Let’s just pretend, for one minute, that it was. That in your reality, you could have whatever, whoever you want. What do you want, Scully?” His face was closer, she could feel his breath on her lips.

Her entire body was tingling, she couldn’t even feel herself breathing, she’s not even sure she was. Normally, whenever Mulder threw an innuendo her way, she shrugged it off with an eyeroll or a raise of her eyebrow. He liked to play these games, attempting to get her worked up. Since they arrived here, she’s been wanting to give in, wanting to test him back just to see if it was all talk, or there were real feelings behind his notions. Her heart was racing, she could practically feel his lips on hers. What did she want? This, him...that’s what she wanted.

She leaned in closer, their noses touching. He caught her gaze, almost as if he was asking a silent question to make sure that this was okay. Before she could answer in anyway, there was a scream from outside. The both broke apart, and ran to the window.

“What the hell…?” Scully asked, still trying to catch her breath from their almost intimate moment.

“I don’t want you to panic, but, uh-”

“Just spit it out Mulder. What the hell is that?!” She asked sternly. There was a giant purple cloud rushing towards them. It looked like a storm ready to hit, but nothing like she’s ever seen before.

“According to the book, that’s a curse coming our way.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I wish I was wrong. Scully, whatever happens, I just want you to know-” And with that, everything went black.

Mulder roused groggily, feeling like he was just hit by a truck. He adjusted his eyes, stiffening as he took in his surroundings. He grew up with money, but this room was exquisite. The drapery, the shiny gold fabric. The bed was covered in the silkiest of sheets and blankets, as if he was living in a fairytale. He jumped up to a seated position, everything coming back to him.

“Scully.” He yelled on instinct. He began to panic, until he felt something moving beside him. He let out a sigh of relief, shaking her arm gently to wake her. “Scully, wake up.”

“Mulder?” She asked in her sleepy voice that would have done things to him had they not been in their current predicament. She began to turn towards him, eyes adjusting to the light. He knew she finally realized they weren’t in a familiar setting when she perched herself up on her elbows, wide eyes looking over the room.

“Do you remember anything?”

“Where the hell are we?”

“I don’t know, but I think it had something to do with the curse.”

“That was real?”

“Yeah, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

She shot him a glare, rolling her eyes at his attempted humor. He couldn’t help the smirk that touched his lips, it was too good to pass up the opportunity.

“Come on, Toto. Let's go find out where the hell we are.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Please tell me we did not just get sucked into another curse.” Regina said as she glanced around at everyone. She took in her appearance, running her hands over the black leather. She missed this sometimes. 

“Who the hell cast this one?” Emma said, looking at her own princess-like gown. Mary Margaret and David were over to the side, looking like their Enchanted Forest selves. 

“Did it affect all of Storybrooke? Where is everyone else?” Mary Margaret asked. 

“I’m assuming they fell into their lives here. Which explains our outfits.” Regina said, gesturing to everyone’s clothes. 

“Do you think it brought everyone from Storybrooke here?” Henry asked, emphasizing ‘everyone.’ Emma’s eyes went wide when he realized what he was asking. 

“You don’t think-” Her words were cut off by the presence of the small redheaded woman and her taller partner. Everyone froze, not knowing how to even begin to explain this one. 

“So, I take it this isn’t part of the continental breakfast?” Mulder asked, breaking the silence. Scully rolled her eyes, and the rest relaxed slightly, sensing they weren’t angry. 

“This...is a very vivid dream.” Regina said, making a ridiculous hand motion, as if she was conjuring up a spell. Scully’s eyebrow arched, pursing her lips in question. 

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to work.” Emma said stepping forward, in front of Regina. She rolled her eyes, letting her take over. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions.” 

“Uh, yeah, where are we? For starters.” Scully asked sternly. 

“The Enchanted Forest.” 

“I was afraid of that.” Scully winced, letting out a deep sigh. 

“So...Snow White, Prince Charming, Evil Queen. Where do you fit in?” Mulder asked, recalling the few pages he read of the storybook. Henry’s eyes beamed, knowing his plan had worked again. 

“I would just like to point out that I’ve dropped the ‘E’ word a while ago.” Regina chimed in.

“I’m their child. The savior, product of true love. And Henry is my son.” Emma explained. Her brow furrowed in confusion, “How did you know about them?” 

“There was a storybook left in our room. I just guessed off a hunch.” 

Everyone looked at Henry as he smiled guiltily. They knew he had everything to do with this, but were relieved that it helped the strangers understand better. Regina took a deep breath and stepped forward, regaining her poise of the Evil Queen. 

“Well, welcome to my palace.” She flashed them a charming smile. 

“Our palace.” Mary Margaret said as she stepped forward. Regina rolled her eyes, conceding to their shared land. It was still an adjustment for her. 

“Right, our palace. We are still trying to figure out what the hell happened here. There’s a new curse, but we don’t know who cast it...yet.” Regina explained. 

“So, let me get this straight. We are trapped here, in some fairytale world, under a curse, with no way to escape.” Scully asked, anger rising. Mulder winced at her tone of voice. He’s heard it before. 

“In a nutshell, yeah, you’ve pretty much got it.” Emma said with an apologetic smile. “But there’s always a way to break the curse, we just need to figure out what it is.” 

“Is each curse different?” Mulder chimed in, theories already bouncing around in his mind. 

“Yes. We don’t know what this one is doing, other than that it brought us back to the Enchanted Forest.” Regina explained. 

“Oh, I might be able to help you out with that one, deary.” A voice from the shadows laughed maniacally. Everyone turned at the sound of the familiar voice, Scully and Mulder confused why everyone suddenly went into a state of panic. “You see, this curse is special, like the last. Only a new true love’s kiss can break it.” The manic laughter continued. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Regina said, stepping forward with a fireball already formed in her hand. The agent’s eyes went wide at the use of magic. 

“Calm down, your majesty. The only thing to get you back to your precious town, is a sapling created from a new true love.” 

“But, that could take forever to find. Especially because the only people brought back are the people we lived with in Storybrooke.” Emma said, already figuring out their defeat. 

“Well good luck to you all then. If you’re ready to make a deal, you know how to find me.” He said with a laugh, and then disappeared. The room fell silent with everyone’s mind lost on how to fight this curse. Now knowing Rumple was the one who cast it, they knew it wasn’t going to be easy to break. 

“I feel like I just walked into a bad dream.” Scully whined. Mulder placed his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it slightly for comfort. Snow got a twinkle in her eye, looking to Charming for reassurance. He nodded in agreement, no words needed between them. 

“Maybe, you’ll be our hope to break the curse. You’re the only ones who haven’t been living in Storybrooke, the only chance we have to spark new love.” Snow said in a chipper voice. They both looked away, avoiding each other’s eyes. “Unless you’re already in love with someone else…” 

“No, nothing like that.” Mulder said, clearing his throat. Scully frowned slightly, not going unnoticed by everyone else in the room. They all smiled at each other, an ounce of hope in all of them. 

“Great, let’s throw a ball then. Tonight, we’ll invite the entire kingdom. It will be like a homecoming for us.” Snow said cheerfully. They all nodded in agreement, her being the only one actually excited about it. 

“If you think that could help.” Emma said. She looked towards the agents, who both had a look of apprehension on their face. She knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but it was the only shot they had. 

“Are we, uh, invited?” Mulder asked nervously. They were the outsiders, the ones that don’t belong. He was more interested in seeing Scully in a gown. 

“Yes, of course. You’ll be our honored guests.” Snow said, stepping forward to them. “You can borrow something from us, it’ll be perfect.” She said, directed towards Scully. 

“We’re looking forward to it. Excuse us for a while.” Mulder said, leading Scully back to their room with his hand placed on her lower back.

* * *

“So...what are you thinking?” Scully asked as soon as they were in the privacy of their own room. She could tell that his mind was whirling, theories bouncing around sporadically. 

“If we can help them, and help us get back, I think it’s worth a shot.” 

“Do you honestly think we can get back that easily? What if this is just some elaborate dream? What if none of this is even real?” She asked with an exhausted sigh. 

“Then we have nothing to lose. Come on, Scully. Let’s just enjoy it while we’re here. The fancy dining, the clothes, the booze.” He said as he nudged her arm with his own. She smiled slightly, catching his gaze. If she had to be stuck in another world, she couldn’t imagine it with anyone else. 

“Fine. But if I’m not enjoying it, then I’m leaving the ball.” 

“Deal. Just tell me when you’re done, and we’ll leave.” She smiled, knowing that her meant them. That small fact was something to hold onto. 

When it was time for her to get ready, Snow came to her door to gather her and her things, specifically saying that she would not see Mulder until the time of the ball. They were worried about being separated, but knew they had to play by their rules since they were out of their territory. 

“You’re going to be even more gorgeous. I guarantee you’ll have the attention of every eligible man.” Snow said with a bright smile. 

“We can only hope.” Scully said under her breath. She only wanted the attention of one. The same one that would never notice her the way she noticed him. She exhaled deeply, pushing her nerves aside. 

They made their way to the ball, Snow and Charming assuming their position united next to Regina on their thrones. They wanted to show Rumple that they could not be threatened, and that they stood together against him. 

Scully made her way from the room she prepared in, nervous about seeing Mulder. She took a deep breath, stepping out to the top of the stairs through the main doors. She could see him standing at the bottom of the staircase, waiting for her. He was dressed in what she could only describe as the most typical outfit for a fairytale prince. He turned around, and stopped breathing when he saw her. She was wearing a corset top dress, doing wonders for her modest cleavage. It accentuated her tiny waist, flowing out into a full gown. It was emerald green, which looked amazing on her, and he was speechless. He extended his hand to her as she made her way down the stairs, both of them not knowing how to proceed. 

“Scully, you look…wow.” He said, causing her cheeks to tinge with color. 

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself. I feel ridiculous.” 

“No, don’t. You look, amazing. Beautiful.” He cupped her face, running his thumb over her cheek with feather soft strokes. She smiled at him, enjoying this closeness. 

“I, uh, think we’re supposed to dance.” She said shyly, noticing the other couples glide around on the dance floor. He nodded, bowing at her presence. She smiled, curtseying for the show of it. He led her into the crowd, placing a hand on the small of her back, it feeling more intimate with her chest pressed against his. She licked her lips nervously, and he leaned in to whisper in her ear. 

“Relax, let me lead.” He said confidently. She smiled and nodded in agreement. 

He guided them around the floor gracefully. This was a side of Mulder she had never seen, and she was surprised, but she loved it. He was poised, and gentlemen-like. It was a nice change, to see a side of him that so rarely made an appearance. 

“Mulder, where the hell did you ever learn to dance like this?” 

“I grew up in a very pristine lifestyle. One too many forced cotillion classes.” He smiled coyly. Her eyebrow raised, clearly interested in hearing more about those stories. 

“You keep unfolding like a flower, Mulder.” She smiled at him approvingly. He whirled around and dipped her, her smile only growing. They were so lost in this simple moment of bliss, they didn’t even notice that the song had changed. 

“May I cut in?” Charming asked, Snow at his side. She had that gleam in her eye. Scully nodded politely as they switched partners, Mulder extending his hand to Snow. 

“You two are good together.” Snow said, directing her glance towards Scully. 

“We’ve been partners for over 5 years now, she’s my best friend.” 

“Yeah, I’ve heard that one before.” 

“You talked to her about...us?” He asked with genuine interest. Scully didn’t have many girl friends, and rarely confided in strangers. He was curious, Snow could tell. 

“Not so much, she gave me the same generic answer you did. But I can tell she wasn’t telling her whole truth, and neither are you.” Snow pressed. She was going to get them together before they found their way home again if it was the last thing she did. 

“My truth…” Mulder huffed out a small laugh at the irony. 

“Well, all I can say, is that in the Enchanted Forest, anything is possible.” Snow said just as the music stopped. Mulder bowed as she curtseyed, both separating to find their respective partners. 

“Are you ready to cut out of here?” Mulder leaned in to ask quietly in her ear?

“Oh, uh, sure. If you want.” He caught just a hint of a frown on her face. 

“We don’t have to just yet. I’ll let you be a princess a little longer. Although, I think there’s some rule about midnight.” 

“That’s only in the fairytales, Mulder.” She sighed. He looked at her with a tight-lipped smile, causing her to realize what she said. She laughed, the ridiculousness of it all hitting her. 

“I hate to break it to you, Scully, but I think we’re living in a fairytale. Maybe you’ll find your prince charming and live happily ever after.” He nudged her shoulder with his. Her face fell, thoughts bouncing around. She had already found that, but it was always just out of reach for her. 

“I - I think I’m going to take a little walk, get some fresh air. Alone. I’ll be right back.” She made a quick exit, escaping through the back. Regina and Emma noticed, exchanging worried glances with each other. 

“They’re our only hope to break this, if they can’t get it together, what are we supposed to do?” Regina said with a heavy sigh. 

“If they already shared their true love’s kiss, it wouldn’t be new anymore though. Maybe we’re approaching this wrong.” Emma said. 

“Unless, because they don’t remember, it still would be new to them.” Regina’s mind was already working. “I erased their memories, so if they kiss again, it would be a new true love’s kiss. We need to find a way to get them together.” 

“I’ll take her, you take him?” Emma suggested. Regina nodded as they divided and conquered. Getting these two to realize their true feelings may be their toughest challenge yet. 

Just as Emma made her way outside, she spotted Scully leaning against the giant railing that overlooked the land. It was a beautiful view, and the perfect spot to collect one’s thoughts. She stepped forward to her, freezing with the inability to move. She looked around nervously, and noticed the sinister eyes laughing at her through the shadows. Rumple placed his finger to his lips, mocking the gesture for her to be quiet. Emma’s eyes went wide, unable to move or speak. He made his way out of the shadows, towards Scully with a dreamcatcher. Emma closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh in defeat, he was going to restore her memories. 

“Hello deary, you look like you could use a friend.” The manic laughter causing Scully to put up her full guard. 

“I’m just looking for some alone time actually, thank you.” 

“A lot of thinking to do, I presume? I don’t know how you suppose to do that without all of your memories.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“You see, the last time you found yourself in Storybrooke, your memories were erased, but I can give them back to you, for a price.” 

Scully looked at him, analyzing him. More than anything, they came back for the answers of what happened to them, seeking the truth. She didn’t want to make decisions without Mulder, but was desperate to know what went on during their missing time. 

“Okay, what’s your price?” 

“A child. Your child.” 

“I don’t have any children.” Thoughts of Emily came flowing through her, visions of the young girl flashing through Scully’s mind. She wasn’t the only one that could see them, he could sense them, too. His plan was working better than he originally thought. 

“I will give you time to work on that. I want your second born.” Scully suppressed her smile. She couldn’t have children, so there wouldn’t even be a first born. She played the game, and won already. 

“Okay...deal.” She said feigning a scared voice. Emma was still watching from the side, unable to stop her from making a deal with the devil. 

“Lovely. Look into the dreamcatcher, and I shall show you your memories.” He ran his hand over the object, causing it to light up like a screen. 

She leaned in closer, a scene appearing before her. It was herself, and Mulder, down by the water in Storybrooke in the same spot she had the strong sense of dejavu. They were standing close, their faces only inches away from each other. Her stomach flipped, as if she was living it while watching. She could almost feel his lips on hers as she watched them connect. It was the same dream she’s been having, but now it was real, evidence in front of her. She was confused, she knew everyone else feared this man, and he definitely wasn’t earning her trust anytime soon. 

“Thank you, I don’t think I can handle much more.” She said, turning away from him. 

“I’ll be around to collect your end of the deal when the time is right.” He said with another manic laugh, and then he disappeared. Emma lunged forward, gasping for air as her trance was broken. 

“You, you shouldn’t have made that deal with him. No one’s ever broken a deal with Rumple.” 

“I can’t have children, I’ve known that for a while. I really didn’t have much to lose.” Scully said with a shrug. Emma was taken back, this tiny redhead was more clever than she thought. “Those memories, were they real?” 

“I don’t know what he showed you. Only you can see your own memories. He’s tricky, so I’m not the first to trust him.” 

“I didn’t think so. I feel like I really would have remembered that.” She huffed out a small laugh. Scully excused herself to find Mulder and tell him that she was officially ready to leave. A lot had happened, and she was still so confused, she didn’t know how much more she would be able to handle. Just as she turned to walk inside with Emma, Mulder came out to find her. 

“I’ll leave you two alone.” Emma said with a mischievous smile. If Regina was anything, she was thorough about her tasks at hand. She met Regina and her parents who were watching just out of sight of the agents. 

“I’m sorry.” He said quickly, she opened and closed her mouth, furrowing her brow in confusion. 

“What are you apologizing for, Mulder?” 

“I don’t know, but I feel like this was somehow my fault.” He said with a sheepish smile. She chuckled at his goofy, boyish grin. 

“There’s nothing wrong, I just needed some fresh air.” 

“Scully, I like to think that I know you better than that, in any world.” He reached out to rub a comforting hand up and down her arm. She sighed at the contact, nodding in concession. 

“I guess I’m just confused, about all of this. It’s a little overwhelming, and I’ve seen some things that I don’t know are memories or dreams. I just don’t know.” 

“Well, maybe I can help. I feel like I’ve been having flashbacks of our missing time, so maybe yours matches mine?” 

“I - I don’t know.” 

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours?” He joked. She let out a deep breath, smiling at his attempted humor to relieve the tension surrounding them. 

“Why don’t they just kiss already?” Snow hissed. Everyone looked at her to shush, but she was already frustrated by the sight before her. 

“We can’t force it, it needs to happen on its own. Magic is tricky, it needs to be precise.” Regina explained in a whisper. 

“Okay, well I’ve been seeing us, by the waterfront in Storybrooke.” Mulder began to say cautiously. He didn’t know how much Scully could handle all at once, and wanted some reassurance about what she’s seen. 

“Yeah - yeah, I’ve seen that, too.” She responded in a hushed voice. He moved closer slightly, causing her to lick her lips in anticipation. 

“We, uh, were talking, about things.” 

“What kind of things?” 

“You tell me.” 

“Work, losing the x-files...us.” She said in a voice so small, he wasn’t even sure he heard her. He stepped closer, Regina’s words echoing in his head. ‘You love her, we can all see that. Do something about it.’ She was bossy, but she was right, no matter how much he tried to deny it. They had played this game too long. 

“What happened after?” His breath tickled her mouth, the build up was killing her. She could practically taste him on her lips. 

“We, we - uh…” She stammered out, glancing between his lips and his chest. Looking anywhere but his eyes. 

“I can’t take this anymore, why won’t they just kiss?!” Snow exclaimed in a loud whisper. Everyone shushed her again, Charming running a comforting hand over her shoulder. 

“They’re almost there. If they completely blow this moment, then maybe we’ll give them another extra push.” Emma said with a small shrug. Her mother was right, this was the longest build up to a kiss she’s ever seen, but they needed to get there on their own. 

“Scully…” He said in a hushed voice, lifting her chin to bring her gaze to his eyes. She finally met his, seeing the pure love and adoration in his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as his lips met hers with just the lightest of grazes. 

She exhaled, letting out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding in, melting into his touch. He leaned in further, deepening the kiss, bringing her to his body by placing a firm hand on the small of her back. She wrapped one arm around his neck, the other cupping his cheek as their lips glided together. Just as she opened her mouth to him, there was a spark, and a flash of light that surrounded them. With that, all of their memories came back to them, now knowing that wasn’t their first kiss, but it was just as powerful. 

“Finally!” Snow said, stepping from the shadows. Scully and Mulder separated quickly after realizing they had an audience. 

“What the hell happened?” Scully asked, still composing herself from the complete ecstasy of their kiss. 

“You broke the curse, again.” Emma explained. Scully and Mulder looked at each other, exchanging confused glances, then back to the rest of them. 

“When you kissed the first time, you broke the curse we currently were in in Storybrooke. We erased your memories, because we were worried about outside people knowing about magic, and who we are.” Regina explained. 

“Because you didn’t remember your first kiss, this was still considered a new true love’s kiss.” Snow said excitedly. 

“Which means…” Regina said, looking around for it. She stepped behind the agents, smiling with satisfaction. “This is what’s going to get us home, all of us.” 

“What is that?” Mulder asked, he could tell Scully was already lost in her own thoughts, so much happening around them at once. 

“It’s a sapling, created by the spark of a new love. This will help us open a portal to get everyone back home.” Regina said, already adding the extra magic needed to make it active. She threw it on the ground, a whirl of purple cloud beginning to circle around them. Scully immediately reached for Mulder’s hand, worried about what was happening next. No one else seemed to be panicking, so the agents somewhat relaxed. This magic thing was still new to them. 

Then everything went black again.

* * *

Mulder roused first, taking in his surroundings. They were back in the small inn, sharing a bed in the middle of nowhere, Maine. He wasn’t totally positive that everything he just experienced wasn’t a dream, he needed to talk to Scully to confirm. 

“Scully, hey...wake up.” He nudged her arm. She felt warm, sleeping next to him. He could definitely get used to this. No, he needed to focus. 

“Mm, wha time ‘sit.” She mumbled. Clearly she wasn’t too concerned about the fact that they had transported from one world to the next in less than a day. 

“It’s early, but I need to talk to you.” 

“Mulder, what could possibly so important that you need to-” She paused, finally opening her eyes and surveying the room. “Where are we?” 

“So that wasn’t a dream?” 

“I - I don’t know.” She sat up just enough to lean on her elbows, confused about whatever they just faced. 

“What did you dream about? Because mine was very vivid, and very satisfying.” Her eyes went wide at his admission, clutching the blanket to her in a sudden moment of modesty. She sat up straighter, leaning against the back of the bed. 

“I - It’s not possible for us to have both had the same dream.” 

“So it was real then. All of it.” 

“I don’t know.” 

“So you’ve said.” 

“What the hell do you want me to say, Mulder? That I remember being sucked into some fairytale land because of a magical curse? That we - we…” Her voice trailed off. 

“Kissed.” 

“Yes.” 

“Twice, apparently.” 

“What do we do now?” 

“About the fairytale land, or our kiss?” 

“Both, I guess.” 

“Well, we will have to survey the town, see what they all remember. I have a gut feeling that if everything I remember is correct, this isn’t the first time they’ve had to deal with this. They might be just as wary about us as we are about them.” 

“Do you think they’re going to try to erase our memories again?” 

“Not if we don’t give them a reason to.” 

“Okay, let me, uh, shower and change first, then we can head downstairs and get a feel for the town.” 

He nodded, knowing she needed a minute to process this. They still hadn’t addressed the kiss, if they ever would. He was starting to feel like she regretted it, was caught up in the moment. He didn’t want to push her on the matter, in case she ever wanted to do it again. He smiled to himself, true love’s kiss, who would have thought?

“Do you think they’ll believe what they experienced?” Emma asked worriedly. They had all gathered at the diner, waiting for their guests to make an appearance. They didn’t know how to approach this one. 

“Maybe they’ll believe it was some crazy dream?” Regina asked hopeful. 

“That they both had?” Emma asked. 

“Well I don’t have any other suggestions other than to erase their memories again.” Regina said with attitude. 

“No! We already agreed that’s not the best plan. It’ll bring them right back here with questions like it did the first time. Besides, we can’t keep taking their feelings away from them.” Mary Margaret chimed in. She was adamant about them keeping their memories this time. 

“I don’t know wha-” Emma’s voice was cut off when the agents appeared in the diner. They situated themselves in the same back booth they frequented, attempting to stay out of sight. Too bad they could already feel all eyes on them as soon as they entered the room. 

“Well, here goes nothing.” Regina said as her and Emma made their way to them. 

“Good morning, are you planning to leave today?” Emma asked, looking over at their bags gathered by the back door. 

“We are. We’ve enjoyed our stay. Definitely something to remember.” Mulder said vaguely. 

“Well we’re glad our town could provide that for you.” Regina said, feigning a smile. They were in a stalemate, neither end going to surrender. 

“Let us know if you need anything before you leave.” Emma said, gesturing for her and Regina to leave them alone so they could rejoin the others. They turned and waved a goodbye, but not before Mulder thought of a way to trick them into confirming his suspicions.

“Oh, your majesty.” He piped up. Regina turned with her always winning smile, before realizing what he called her. Emma let out a heavy sigh, they remembered. 

“Dammit.” Regina cursed under her breath, a guilty pursing of her lips taking over her face. 

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist. We had to know. That was all real, wasn’t it?” He asked, a grin touching his lips. 

“Yes. We weren’t sure how much you would remember, or if you would just think it was a dream.” Emma said apologetically. 

“You’re not, uh, going to erase our memories again, are you?” Scully asked anxiously. It was her biggest question, other than what their kiss meant for them. She just didn’t want to forget it this time. 

“No, we all decided if we did you’d end up right back here, and this would just be a constant cycle.” Emma explained. 

“We do need to know that our town is safe though. I will do whatever is necessary to protect Storybrooke from any unwanted outside attention.” Regina said with authority. Scully and Mulder passed a look between each other, having the silent conversation they’ve had many times before. 

“This technically isn’t an official investigation, so there’s nothing to report.” Mulder said assuredly. 

“Besides, believe it or not, we’ve seen things that I can’t even begin to explain.” Scully added. Everyone settled a little easier, having a mutual understanding between them. 

They bid their farewells after breakfast, leaving Storybrooke with their memories of their trip in tow. Scully was nervous about the conversation they may or may not have, and she could tell Mulder was doubting it. She felt guilty, that he was questioning everything between them. As they drove further away out of town, the awkwardness grew thick in the air around them. They were both avoiding what happened, neither knowing how to approach the topic. 

They approached her building, him parking along the curb to let her out. He jumped out to grab her bag from the trunk, handing it to her with a sheepish smile. Her heart sank, did he really not know what that kiss meant for her? How could he doubt it after all these years together? She rolled her eyes, putting her bag down gently. She turned her attention back to him and took a deep breath. He gave her a puzzled look, but before he could ask, her lips were on his. 

This kiss had more purpose, promise behind it. Once he realized what was happening, he rested his hands on her hips, leaning them into the car, her pinned between his body and the side of their rental. Both of their mouths opened, tongues dueling for control. 

She broke away first, both catching their breath. He reached up to cup her cheek gently, resting his forehead against hers. 

“Just - just in case you forgot.” She said in a breathy whisper into his mouth. He smiled, placing another chaste kiss on her lips. 

“Oh, I definitely won’t forget that one.” With a few more parting pecks, he finally got back in the driver’s seat, leaving her standing on the sidewalk in a blissful daze. 

“Hey, Scully…” 

“Yeah?” She paused in her stride, leaning down to peer into his rolled down window. 

“Does this make me your prince charming?” She rolled her eyes, attempting to mask the smirk appearing on her lips. 

“Goodnight, Mulder.” 


End file.
